Electric switch



A. E. GREENE ELECTRIC SWITCH Jan. 19 1926.

1, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.

Jan. 19 1926.

A. E. GREENE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 1, 1922 2 Sneets-She 2t 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

7 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN EDWIN GREENE, OF MEDFORD HILLSIDE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CONDIT ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING CORPORATION,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed. September fication.

This invention relates to electric switches and especially to so called pole-line? switches, and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive switch well adapted to carry current and control a circuit although not necessarily adapted especially to interrupt current.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electric switch embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, looking upward, of the switch of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3.is a-vertical section through the switch of Fig. 1.

4 is av plan section along line H of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional detail through the movable switch member. a

Fig. 6'is an end view of the movable switch member.

. Fig. 7 is a detail of the stationary switch member.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the switch.

As here shown, the electric switch embodying the invention comprises the frame 10 which may have a flange 11 by which the switch may be secured to a support. Said frame is or may be more or less circular in formation and may have the annular depending flange 12 which is internally screwthreaded. A tubular shell 13 has its upper end externally screw-threaded and threaded in said annular flange, and depends below said frame, and is adapted to enclose and support the oil receptacle. Said shell forms a continuation of the switch frame.

1, 1922. Serial No. 585,669.

tatably supported within said outer shell 13. Said receptacle may be formed or provided with the upper and lower annular outstandlng flanges or projections 16, or equivalent, which form bearing members adapted to rotatably engage the inner wall of the outer shell 13 and support the oil receptacle for rotary movement within said shell. The oil receptacle may rest rotatably upon suitable supporting means carried by the lower end of said outer shell 13 and, as here shown, said supporting means comprise screws 17 which are screw-threaded in said shell and have eccentric projections 18 adapted to engage the bottom of the oil receptacle. Said screws also form adjusting members by which the vertical position of the oil receptacle within said shell is adjusted in an obvious manner.

Stationary switch members l6 are carried by the switch frame 10, which forms a cover for the shell and oil receptacle, and said switch members depend into the oil in said oil receptacle. Said switch members are provided with contact members at their lower ends and said contact members may comprise a plurality of vertically. spaced and horizontally arranged knife blades 19 which are adapted to be engaged by corresponding movable knife blades of the movable switch member, or the contact members may be otherwise formed and arranged. Said knife blades of the stationary switch members extend, preferably, in opposite directions for engagement by the movable switch member.

The movable switch member may include a standard 20 which is or may be centrally located on and carried by the bottom wall 15 of the oil receptacle and may be fixed thereto in any suitable manner, as by the screws 21. The upper end of said standard may be formed with the vertically spaced arms 22 between which the movable contact or bridging member is received. Said movable contact member'may comprise a plurality of vertically-spaced, horizontally-arranged blades 23 which are adapted to enter the spaces between the sta or 1r] blades 19 and contact with said blades, whereby to complete the circuit through the switch. Preferably said blades 23 are loosely carried by said standard 20 and are free to move loo vertically in said standard, between certain limits, whereby to provide for proper engagement with the stationary contact blades 19, regardless of slight inaccuracy of alignment therebetween. For this purpose, a screw 25 may be passed freely tlrrough aligned apertures in said blades 23 and threaded in said standard 20 and a compression spring 26 may encircle said screw 25 under the head thereof and bear yieldingly against said blades. A second and similar spring 27 may encircle said screw below said blades so that said blades are yielding- 1y supported in a vertical position. The ends of the stationary blades 19 are or may be reduced in thickness whereby to facilitate the guidance of the movable blades there between,

The oil receptacle is arranged to be rotated bodily whereby to open and close the switch and for this purpose may have a bracket 30 secured to and depended from the bottom wall 15 thereof. A handle 31 is or may be pivoted to said bracket by the pivot pin 32, and said handle is adapted to extend below and laterally beyond the outer shell 13 to a position in which it may be readily grasped and manipulated. A spring 33 is or may be carried by said bracket, and engages said handle whereby to maintain it yielding-1y in a' horizontal position. The lower edge of said shell is or may be formed with the slots or notches 35 and 36 disposed substantially at right angles with each other and in positions corresponding to the open closed positions of the switch and the handle 31 is adapted to be received in said notches, and said spring 33 serves to hold said handle yieldingly' in said notches whereby to hold the switch in open and closed positions. The handle may be moved downward against the action of said spring whereby to clear the notches and the oilrecep'tacle may then be rotated to open and close the switch and when the handle is released, it will enter one of said notches. Preferably the inner end of said handle is formed with a projection 37 which is adaptcd to engage a fixed abutment. as the bottom wall of the oil receptacle, and thereby limit the extent of downward movement of the handle. Preferably the shell 13 is formed with an abutment adjacent one of said notches, as the pin 40 which projects downwardly adjacent the notch 35, whereby to prevent the movement of the oil receptacle beyond its switch-open position. An abutment adjacent the other notch may not be necessary for the reason that the movement of the movable blocks 23 is restricted by the stationary switch members.

Venting of the switch may be effected over the top of the oil receptacle and into the space A between the oil receptacle and outer shell 13.

The construction may be otherwise modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An electric switch having the combination of cooperative stationary and movable switch-members, a receptacle enclosing said switch-members, fixed means supporting said receptacle for angular reciprocatory movement in the aforesaid relation, and an operative connection between said movable switch-member and receptacle arranged to effect the opening and closing of the switch by angular movements of said receptacle in opposite directions.

2.- An' electric switch comprising station ary switch members, a rotatably supported receptacle enclosing said switch members,- fiXed supporting means for said rece tacle, a movable switch member carried by and rotatable with said receptacle,- and means to rotate said receptacle in opposite direc= tions to open and close the switch.

3. An electric switch having the combination of cooperative stationary and movable switcl'r-men'ibers, an oil-containing recepta cle enclosing said switchanembers fixed supporting means for said receptacle surrounding and loosely engaging the outer periph cry of said receptacle and arranged to support it for angular reciprocatory movement, and an operative connection between said movable switch member and receptacle a1"- ranged to effect the opening and closing of the switch by the angular movements of said receptacle in opposite directions.

a. An electric switch comprising a switch frame, an oil receptacle, said switch frame having means disposed externally of said receptacle on which said receptacle rests and is rotatably supported, stationary switch members carried by said frame and depending into said receptacle, and a movable switch member carried by and movable with said movable oil receptacle.

5. An electric switch comprising stationary switch members, a rotatably supported receptacle containing said switch members, a standard rising from the bottom wall of said receptacle, a movable bridging member carried by said standard, and yielding means to support said bridging member for movement toward and away from the bottom of said receptacle.

6. An electric switch comprising a switch frame, an oil receptacle carried by and disposed within said frame, stationary switch members carried by said frame and extended within said receptacle and a. movable switch member carried by and movable with said movable oil receptacle. I

7. An electric. switch comprising a switch frame, an oil receptacle enclosed therein and rotatably supported thereby, and stationary and movable switch members contained in said oil receptacle and operated by movements thereof.

8. An electric switch including a station arily supported tubular shell, a rotatably supported cylindrical receptacle disposed within said shell, and switch members disposed within said receptacle arranged to be operated by the movement of said receptacle.

9. An electric switch comprising a switch frame having an annular depending flange, a tubular shell secured to and depending from said flange, a cylindrical receptacle disposed within and rotatably supported by said shell, stationary switch members carried by said frame and depending into said rotatable receptacle and a. movable switch member carried by and rotatable with said rotatable receptacle.

10. An electric switch comprising a switch frame having an internally screw-threaded, annular, depending flange, a tubular shell having screw-threaded connection with and depending below said flange, a cylindrical oil receptacle disposed within and rotatably supported by said shell, stationay switch members carried by said frame and depending into said rotatable oil receptacle, and a movable switch member carried by and rotatable with said rotatable oil receptacle.

11. An electric switch comprising a fixed switch frame having a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical oil receptacle disposed within and rotatably supported by said shell, stationary and movable switch members contained within said receptacle to be operated by it, and a switch-operating handle carried by and arranged to rotate said receptacle.

12. An electric switch comprising a fixed switch frame having a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical oil receptacle disposed within and rotatably supported by said shell, means cooperating with said shell and receptacle to maintain said receptacle in spaced relation with said shell, stationary switch in mbers contained within said receptacle, and a movable switch member carried by and rotatable with said rotatable receptacle.

13. An electric switch comprising a fixed switch frame having a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical oil receptacle disposed within and rotatably supported by said shell, said receptacle having outstanding projections at the top and bottom adapted to rotatably engage said shell, stationary switch members carried by said frame and depending into said receptacle, and a movable switch member carried by and movable with said movable receptacle.

14. An electric switch comprising a switch frame having a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical oil receptacle rotatably disposed within said shell, adjusting means carried by said shell arranged to engage and govern the vertical position of said oil receptacle, stationary switch members carried by said switch frame and depending into said oil receptacle, and a movable switch member carried by and movable with said rotatable oil receptacle.

15. An electric switch comprising a switch fra .16 having a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical oil receptacle rotatably disposed within and supported by said shell, stationary switch members carried by said shell and depending into said oil receptacle, a movable switch member carried by and movable with said rotatable oil receptacle, and means yieldingly connecting said movable switch member and receptacle.

16. An electric switch comprising a switch frame having a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical oil receptacle rotatably disposed within and supported by said shell, stationary switch members carried by said shell and depending into said oil receptacle, a movable switch member carried by and movable with said rotatable oil receptacle, and means connecting said movable switch member and recept ele arranged to admit of the vertical movement of said movable switch member.

17. An electric switch comprising a switch frame havin a depending tubular shell, a cylindrical Oll receptacle rotatably disposed within and supported by said shell, stationary switch members carried by said shell and depending into said oil receptacle, a movable switch member carried by and movable with said rotatable oil receptacle, and means including springs disposed on opposite sides of said movable switch member arranged to connect said movable switch member with said oil receptacle and permit said movable switch member to yield in a vertital direction.

18. An electric switch comprising a switch frame having a depending tubular shell, is rotatable oil receptacle disposed within and supported by said shell, movable and stationary switch members disposed within said oil receptacle and operated thereby, and an operating handle secured to said receptacle and extended laterally beyond said shell.

19. An electric switch comprising a switch frame having a depending tubular shell, a rotatable oil receptacle disposed within and supported in said shell, movable and stationary switch members disposed within said oil receptacle and operated thereby, said shell having notches in its lower end corresponding to open and closed positions of the switch, and an operating handle yieldingly carried by said oil receptacle and extended laterally beyond said shell and arranged to enter the notches thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

AUSTIN EDvVIN GREENE. 

